curlygirlyme, had a busy weekend, but would like to answer your question. I really like the Alba strong hold gel, but of course, feel there may be something better out there. It's a very, very thick gel, and the hold is nice, but not too crunchy. The main reason I like it is because almost everything I use causes breakouts in my hairline, but this one does not. I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow (1st time in almost a year) and will see if that makes a difference with how happy I am with this gel.